The Paradigm of Missionary Identity

In the past we have focused on the “why” of missions in terms of motives, the “what” of missions in terms of the content of the message, and the “how” of missions in terms of methodologies and strategies, but the “where” question, in terms of where we send cross-cultural workers, has simply been assumed; it has meant crossing a geographic boundary. 

In Apostolic Function in 21st Century Missions, Alan R. Johnson introduces the idea of apostolic function as the paradigm of missionary self-identity that reminds us to focus our efforts on where Christ is not named. He then examines in detail the “where” paradigm in missions, frontier mission missiology, with a sympathetic critique and a review of the major contributions of unreached people group thinking. Johnson concludes by illustrating his notion of seeking to integrate missions paradigms and discussing of issues that relate specifically to the “where” questions of missions today.